The vital and rewarding role of the Education EA-along unique complexities and challenges
EXECUTIVE ASSISTANTS IN EDUCATION PLAY A VITAL ROLE FILLED WITH COMPLEXITY, CHALLENGES YET ULTIMATELY REWARDS.
It is a job unlike any other - a member of the senior leadership team but also outside of it. Sitting within administration, but still set apart from other faculty and staff. A key player who wears many hats in a single day!
It is so much more than managing an Executive’s diary, saying “Sorry, there are no appointments until next month,” or stopping people from accosting him or her with questions on the way from the office to the toilet. (Yes, this happens).
As Education EAs, few people outside our role understand what we do and how much we actually oversee. Just as education is complex and the role of educational leaders continually evolves, so too do the duties, expectations and challenges of those who support Principals and senior executives in School settings. We are the gateway, the organisers. The confidants, the communicators, the companions. We keep everything running, and we keep everything confidential. We quietly put out the fires that most of the school didn’t even know were there in the first place. It’s an exciting role with no two days alike but it can be lonely work.
Unusually (for other industries), our closest work relationship is the one with our boss, generally the principal or a leader within the school, which comes with its own privileges and challenges.
It’s an incredible role, but it can be isolating at times, which is why I have created the first Australian networking group for EAs in Education. The group has grown quickly, showing the real need for community and connection within this space.
For our first workshop, we sat down with the brilliant Dr Steven Middleton. Steven Middleton, Associate Principal at St. Margaret's Berwick Grammar (and my boss). He has worked in several independent schools across Sydney and Melbourne over the past two decades, and we have a great working relationship built on trust. Steven shared his unique perspectives on the role of the Education EA and the key to a good working relationship between the school Executive and the EA.
Dr Middleton highlighted the 7 C’s of the EA in Education role: Complexity, Confidentiality, Compassion, Companionship, Conflict management, Courage, and Communication.
Complexity
We exist and work in a very complex bubble, full of all different stakeholders, many of whom have different and potentially conflicting agendas. Every leadership decision will be critiqued, and the Education EA hears it all. We manage the needs of parents, students, and staff; we deal with the compliance and risk management; we communicate with alumni, and also the local community. I’ve even fielded phone calls from the general public complaining about how people are driving. Everything comes through the EA. We are the gateway of the school and the face of the Principal.
Confidentiality
EAs in Education come across a lot of sensitive material, reading emails and vetting calls. We know everything. Schools are like a huge village or a microcosm of society. We know that in a village, the town square is the place of gossip, rumour, and innuendo. And in a school, knowledge can be power. I am sure we have all sat down for a quiet cup of tea in the staff room, only to be asked by a colleague about a sensitive topic. So you’re caught in this situation where you likely know exactly what’s going on, but you can’t say.
Compassion
It’s a delicate balance between gateway and comforter, as there will be times when you also have to manage some big emotions. Parents and students coming to you crying after a child is expelled. Or speaking to a teacher who has made a bad decision. EAs handle complex, emotional situations with delicacy and grace.
Companionship
In a good working relationship, you are also the confidant and listening ear for your boss, your closest working colleague and the only one who really knows all that you do. The element of trust is crucial in this relationship and can easily be broken, as you work closely together and support each other throughout the day.
Conflict Management & Courage
As the Education EA and school gatekeeper, you are often in the forefront of conflict, whether that’s making a difficult phone call to an angry parent or managing another complex situation. You are the messenger, and you are the one who comes under fire. It takes courage to manage that load and to do the job we all do.
Communication
Education EAs communicate constantly with so many different stakeholders, but the most important one is the principal, our boss. It’s vital to have a quick planning and debrief meeting (ideally at the beginning and end of each day), to talk about what’s coming up and prepare him or her for anything that might be unexpected. My boss and I will often text each other a quick thankyou for the other’s support.
The role of the Education EA is one unlike any other, and no two days are the same. We are the face of the executive of the school—a hugely complex, challenging, and rewarding task. So we wear that gateway badge with pride, the holder of the keys. And we still don’t let anyone accost our Exec on his or her way to the toilet.
If you’re feeling a bit isolated in your role, and would like to benefit from the support, advice and learnings of a group of likeminded Education Administrative Professionals working for Executive Senior Leadership Teams in schools - consider joining our community - a national network dedicated solely to supporting Education EAs!
